Just Wondering
by monique42
Summary: A visit from Alec late one night makes Max confused and just for a change, pissed off. Revenge begins as the two continue to flirt, tease and generally annoy each other in a way that makes them begin to see each other in a new light. MA
1. The Theory

Just Wondering.  
  
Summary: A visit from Alec confuses Max and just for a change pisses her off.  
  
A little something that I did because I am getting way to caught up in writing 'The Surprise' and needed to write something completely different. Enter the stand-alone, lol. So here it goes, I think it is a little twisted but tell me what you think and review!  
  
Max sat at Crash listening to Logan ramble on about his latest mission in an attempt to rid the world of crime, one villain at a time. Well listening would be a bit of an overstatement. She had listened to the start of his 'enthralling tale' before switching of and trying to block him out, something that she had been getting very good at recently. It was a sort of game to her, every time he started rambling on she would see how quickly she could block him out., she was getting better.  
  
She always tried to find a distraction and tonight it just happened to be Alec, who was chatting up some pretty girl at the bar directly facing her. Alec, now there was a puzzle and a half. She had always seen him as a nuisance, a pain in the ass, hers to be exact, but that all changed a few nights ago when he had paid her a little visit.  
  
##A few nights ago##  
  
"What's up with you Max?" asked Alec. "You are being a regular Silent Bob," he joked. Max quickly came back to her old self, determined not to let Alec get one over on her no matter how insignificant it might be.  
  
"Well if I'm Silent Bob then which one of you is Jay?" she retorted. "Let's see, a shit for brains prick who is full of himself and whose brain is in his pants, my money would be on you."  
  
"Let's see Silent Bob, a know it all who only speaks up when it suits him and hasn't got laid in at least a year, possibly never, hmm who could that be? Who? I don't know but 'my money would be on you,'" he said mimicking her at the end.  
  
"Sweet Jesus, here they go again, will it ever end? I'm sick and tired of it!" said Original Cindy, taking another sip of her beer, as they continued flinging insults at each other. Sketchy who was now used to it, rolled his eyes and Logan tutted and mumbled something long the lines of 'children.'  
  
As much as OC had just complained about their constant bickering, and she would deny it under oath, but she found it most amusing. It was never hurtful teasing well apart from the odd comment but they were both grown ups and could give as good as they got. It was always playful and teasing and as much as they 'hated each other', well Max 'hated' Alec but he just liked winding her up because he knew he could, OC knew that they would never purposely hurt each other. 'Then again,' she though as she tuned in for Max's latest comment, something to do with him being a man-whore.  
  
"Well at least I didn't try and get it off with Normal!"  
  
"Well at least I'm not his toy boy, unlike you oh by the way how's that working out for ya? Oh and if you see Normal, and I'm sure you will, but tell him that those fines for never returning that gladiator suit of yours are bound to be adding up."  
  
"But really Max when was the last time you got laid? Can you even remember? Because you have some serious tension that I'm sure could be solved by a good, long, hard, fu . . ."  
  
"Guys, cut it out," said OC stopping it before he crossed the line. Somehow, they remained quiet and the two worked up transgenics calmed down. They weren't angry at each other just seriously wound up though Max more then Alec. "I'm going to get another pitcher," she announced.  
  
Alec sighed and went after her. "Look Max, I'm sorry, we were just messin' and if I offended you I didn't mean to and . . ."  
  
"You didn't," interrupted Max, "I know you didn't mean any harm anyway, it is just the way we get on, the way our relationship works," she said smiling at him before walking of.  
  
Her last remark brought up a question that Alec had never thought about before.  
  
-  
  
Later that night, Max flung herself into her bed. She had got bored quickly at crash, Alec had left not long after their little 'fight' and then Logan had started rambling on again about his EO missions. She had the apartment to herself as OC had left Crash with a new 'honey', some blonde chick called Alice.  
  
"Hey, there," said a deep, familiar voice.  
  
Max gave a little scream, she hit the light and saw Alec sitting on the couch. "Jesus Christ Alec you scared the shit out of me!"  
  
"Huh, that explains the smell," he remarked thoughtfully.  
  
Throwing a pillow at him, she asked him what he was doing in her apartment so late at night. "Well what you said earlier at Crash really made me think."  
  
"Well there is a first time for everything I suppose, so congrats but you can go now," said Max.  
  
"Uh, actually I can't. So where was I? Oh yes, it made me curious to why we are in fact like that with each other and no one else. So I left and went to the space needle to think about it, in true Max fashion, and after going through just about every conversation we have ever had, and I can do that you know, I have that much brain power which is why I seriously objected to you saying that I had shit for brains and . . ."  
  
"Alec, stick to the point," said Max using a bored tone to try to cover up just how curious she was about the explanation he had come up with.  
  
"Sorry, but I finally came up with the answer so I came over to see what you thought."  
  
"Well, aren't you going to tell me this wonderful theory of yours?" she asked when the conversation seemed to stop after this.  
  
"Nope," he said and he walked over and sat on the bed beside Max. "I'm going to show you."  
  
"What the hell are you talking abo .. . ." She was cut off by his lips meeting hers. At first, she did nothing, frozen by the shock of it. Then she felt fire running through her body and all of a sudden responded.  
  
She began running her fingers through his hair using it as a way of pulling him closer to her. Caught up in the extremely passionate kiss she pushed him over on the bed so that she was lying on top of him while pulling of his jacket and throwing it on the floor. She didn't even have time to rationalise her actions all she knew was that she didn't want him to stop what he was doing to her, she had never felt this alive, hr body had never reacted as strong as this before, she had never been kissed like this before.  
  
Then Alec flipped her over, got of the bed and stood up. Max felt as though she had just been hit by a bus as she hit the ground, coming back to earth. He grinned at her and lifted his jacket up of the floor, putting it on and zipping it up. "Well I was just wondering and well you seemed to agree with my theory so see ya." With that, he walked out leaving a very disappointed, confused and angry Max.  
  
##Present##  
  
Ever since then things had been pretty much back to normal, the bickering and teasing had begun almost immediately the next day though it was not as frequent as usual. Max hadn't told anyone, not even Cindy and tried to keep her behaviour with Alec the same as before and act as though he hadn't affected her.  
  
This would be much easier if he hadn't affected her but he had in fact turned her world upside down and she had never looked at him in quite the same way since. Unfortunately, if she stared at him for too long like she was doing now, trying to ignore Logan, she could always imagine the feel of his lips on hers and her fingers running through her hair. . .  
  
"Max, Max, are you listening to me?" asked Logan. "No," said Max, standing up, "Excuse me," she said leaving Logan bewildered.  
  
She walked over to Alec and grabbed him by the arm, yanking him from the girl he was talking to. "We need to talk," she said dragging him out into the alley out the back of the bar.  
  
"I need some answers and I need them now so start talking," she said folding her arms and waiting expectantly.  
  
"About what?"  
  
"That night, I mean who do you think you are? Breaking into my apartment then kissing me like that then getting up and leaving."  
  
"Kissing you like what?" he sad tilting his head and smirking at her.  
  
"Keep to the point."  
  
"Look, Max I explained that," said Alec clearly amused by how angry Max was getting and glad that he had affected her in such a way. It was much more fun than seeing her mad when he had just merely been winding her up, it was a whole new level on which to annoy Max and he was loving it.  
  
"Well I didn't seem to get it so why don't you humour me and spell it out," she said annoyed by the constant grin on his face.  
  
"Ok, then, it was my theory. All of our bitching, teasing and bickering was some sort of build up of sexual tension between us, a type of flirting or foreplay if you will."  
  
Max became indignant, "I would never flirt with you!" she protested, clearly appalled by the idea. "As for sexual tension, puh-leese! I am not remotely attracted to you so don't flatter yourself."  
  
"Could have fooled me the other night, tell me Max do you always tend to play tonsil tennis with people you are not attracted to or am I just special?"  
  
"Well although 'special' is certainly a word I would choose to describe you, I do believe that you kissed me."  
  
"Oh, I see it was all me, you didn't do anything and oh and by the way Max, I always knew that you were the kind of girl that liked to be on top," he said referring to her flipping him over.  
  
Max glared at him and as he leaned casually against the wall grinning at her with that know it all cocky, self assured smile, she didn't know whether she wanted to hit him or jump him.  
  
"The fact that you kissed me back and reacted so strongly just proved to me that I was right, so not wanting to be ungentelmanly I left before things could go any further," he said deciding to clarify things since Max was just standing their glaring at him.  
  
"And you can't deny that we haven't been teasing each other as much since then and that is because we relieved some of the sexual tension," he said looking very smug and proud of himself in general.  
  
"Also . . ."  
  
"Oh just shut up already you self-centred, smart-ass," said Max who grabbed him by his jacket collar and went for the second option, jumping him. As her lips crushed against his Max felt that wonderful feeling that she had felt a few nights ago, as though her body was on fire. She kissed him slowly at first, then not being able to control herself she gave in letting her desires take over any sense left in her head.  
  
Alec let out a low groan as she slammed him against the wall and her hips rubbed against his. Getting an idea she gave him a wicked smile and pulling every once of willpower she had together, she pulled herself of him and fixed her hair which had been tousled by his hands in it.  
  
He looked at her confused, "Just wondering," she said walking back into the bar. Then she opened the door again, stuck her head out, and said, "And by the way, apparently your theory is right, who knew?" before closing it again leaving Alec standing in the alley by himself knowing it was exactly what he deserved.  
  
He smiled, "Just remember Max," he said to himself, "Revenge is a bitch." He went back into the bar plotting his revenge.  
  
Ok so its probably not technically prefect but let me know what you think in review form pleeeeease!!! :D 


	2. Fun & Games aka 'Revenge'

Just Wondering  
  
Chapter Two: Fun and Games.  
  
A/N: Big thanks to everyone who reviewed it was much appreciated but I hate you guys as well!!! Doesn't the phrase stand-alone mean anything to you people? I wrote 'Just Wondering' just so I could write something fun and never have to think about it again but between people, expecting more and asking for more and Jumoke's threat to hunt me down guess what I ended up doing? So before I start I want to get something straight, this will not be too long, another few chapters at the most, I cannot start another serious story so enjoy this while it lasts!  
  
When Alec went back, into the bar he still couldn't think of anything to do, well he knew what he wanted to do but he couldn't use the same thing twice, no matter how effective it had turned out to be if there was something his time in Manticore had taught him it was that using the same battle plan twice in a row was never a good plan, especially when there were other options.  
  
Ever since their 'encounter' in the alley, Max had been looking very smug and had kept giving him superior looks, knowing that she had got one over on him. Since his mind was blank for an idea that would wipe that look of her face, he did what he would normally do on a Sunday night, talked to some fine looking girls. Little did he know that this would have the desired effect.  
  
Max sat at the table talking to OC, "What's up with you boo, you're looking awfully happy now, ever since you went to talk with Alec. What happened?"  
  
"What? Oh that, nothing we just sorted out a few problems and I feel better that everything is out in the open. You know I think that he might not even annoy me so much now," she said but suddenly out of the corner of her eye she saw Alec talking to the pretty blonde girl he was chatting to before she had dragged him away and her face dropped.  
  
After he had showed up in her apartment she had been pretty messed up, unable to think straight and here he was back to normal. Had she not affected him at all? Did she desire him more than he wanted her? 'Not that I do want him or anything' she tried to convince herself.  
  
She sat staring at them for ages, the way she kept touching his arm at little moments and how every now an again he leaned closer to her and brushed a strand of hair out of her eyes. She glared at them feeling a strange sensation building up inside of her. 'Oh my god! I'm jealous! Jealous of Alec and some floozy? No not me. Oh no, I called that slut a floozy, I am jealous! Shit! This is so not good!'  
  
She kept fretting about it until she caught Alec looking over at her, as if to see if she was watching and she realised that her getting jealous was exactly what he wanted. 'Well two can play at that game pretty boy' she thought as she spotted a dark haired guy standing at the corner of the bar. 'He'll do." She got up and headed over to him, putting a sway in her walk that only made her seem more attractive.  
  
"Hey, there," she said softly to him, watching his eyes widen as he looked her up and down. "Hey," he said, "Can I buy you a drink?"  
  
"Sure, a beer would be great." As he ordered her a beer she discreetly looked over at Alec, who was talking to that blonde girl, to see if he had noticed yet, he had and was now watching her. Max smiled and took the beer off the guy. "Name's Max."  
  
"James."  
  
"Nice to meet you James," she said in such a way that gave a double meaning to her seemingly innocent comment. "I can definitely say the same."  
  
They carried on talking, with Max laughing at all his jokes and flirting with him like there was no tomorrow. Alec who was watching them from across the room was not happy, she had turned the tables around once again and instead of her being jealous of him, he now found himself hating this guy just because Max was talking to him. Something had to be done, Max was going to regret trying to get one over on him again.  
  
"Excuse me," he said before walking over in the direction of Max. "I thought you said you were working late tonight," he said to Max, faking pain in his voice. "I can't believe you are doing this to me again, you promised you would not have anymore affairs!"  
  
He waited for an answer but Max just stared at him in shock, then anger when she realised what he was doing. "Alec . . ." she began, a warning tone in her voice.  
  
"No Max, I understand if you don't love me anymore, even if you never did but what about Jason? Are you just going to walk out on our son? What will I say to him when he asks where 'mommy is'?"  
  
"Uh, who are you?" asked James who was looking very uncomfortable. "Ah, she probably didn't tell you she had a husband did she? Well I'm him."  
  
"Look, I'm sorry buddy, I didn't know," he said before walking off and leaving Alec to face a very pissed off Max. "You jerk!" she yelled making a move to hit him around the back of the head but he ducked a grin obvious on his face. "See you're getting too predictable Maxie, and besides I was only having a little fun. What can I say the rest of my night has been pretty damn boring," he said faking a yawn.  
  
"I can't believe you did that, I was just talking to that guy and you scared him off."  
  
"I was doing you a favour, Logan is sitting right over there and how do you think he would have felt if he saw you chatting up some sleazy ex-car salesman?"  
  
Logan; between making out with Alec and hitting on the random guy Max had completely forgotten about the supposed love of her life. As they sat down at the table Max grinned, Alec had called James a sleazy ex-car salesman, she had gotten to him, he had did it because he was jealous! Obviously more jealous than her because he had done something about it, so as far as Max was concerned she was clearly winning. 'Wait a second you did do something about it,' her annoying sub-conscious reminded her. 'That was the only reason you talked to James to make Alec jealous then you succeeded so he intervened!' it said spelling things out for her.  
  
'Well I guess that makes it my turn,' the other half of her mind told her. 'Time for a little torture.'  
  
Alec was talking to OC and Logan was boring Sketchy to death talking about computers so Max took the opportunity to slip of one of her boots without anyone noticing. Gently her socked foot slid across the floor to Alec's leg where her foot began massaging the bottom of it.  
  
Alec stopped talking mid-sentence and looked across to Max who was smiling innocently, pretending to be listening intently to what they were saying. He couldn't say anything without telling the others and he couldn't do that because no-one would believe him and after this he wanted a little revenge of his own.  
  
So he tried carrying on as if nothing was happing, something which he was successfully achieving until Max decided to move her foot northwards. 'Oh, god,' thought Alec, trying to concentrate on what OC was saying but all he could think of was Max's foot and what it was doing to him. He looked across at Max once again only to see that she was having way too much fun with this.  
  
"Alec are you even listening to me?" asked OC. "Sorry but I've got to go," he said quickly, standing up before he reacted a little too much and running out of Crash. Max's look of superiority was back on her face as she slid her foot back into her boot. "What was all of that about?" asked OC. "Who knows?" said Max taking another sip of her beer.  
  
The next day at work, Alec joined Max at her locker. "Oh Alec, nice to see you, you ran off so quickly last night, anything the matter? Where you feeling sick?" she asked with fake concern.  
  
"Very funny," he said, "just thought I'd let you know that you're going to regret it."  
  
"Oh look at me I'm shaking in my little black boots," she said mockingly.  
  
"Oh so you can put them on, I wonder why I thought you couldn't? Well I have to go apologise to OC for running of last night and tell her why." He smirked and walked off as her face dropped as she watched him talk to OC who in the middle of the conversation looked over at Max with a surprised look on her face.  
  
'He wouldn't would he?' Max started to panic as Alec winked over at her and OC headed her way. 'Oh no, he would!'  
  
"Uh, hey OC," she said.  
  
"So Max a little birdie told me about your behaviour last night and I must say Max I think it was a little inappropriate with all of us, including Logan your so-called boyfriend, sitting right there."  
  
"Ok OC what you don't understand was that before, when I was talking to him in the alley we were making out and . . ."  
  
"Are you telling OC that you kissed this car salesman as well? Alec told me that you were putting the moves on him but he said nothing about kissing." Max felt relief wash over her as she realised that Alec hadn't told her what she had been doing.  
  
"Yes," she said not being able to think of anything else and not wanting to tell OC the truth about her and Alec. "But only the once, I feel so ashamed I just feel that my relationship with Logan is going nowhere."  
  
"I understand boo, but we'll talk about this later, Normal is looking pissed off so you better go."  
  
"There you are missy miss," he said handing her a pile of packages. "All of these are for sector seven, you are doing your runs with Alec today who is waiting outside so bip, bip, bip and don't keep him waiting!"  
  
Of all the people of all the days, she had to do her runs with Alec. 'Well if nothing else it should be interesting,' she thought as she went outside to meet Alec. "Alec."  
  
"Maxie."  
  
"How many times have I told you not to call me that?" she said as they started to ride towards sector seven. "Not enough for me to stop calling you Maxie, Maxie."  
  
"Oh, shut up!"  
  
For a change he did and there was silence for about ten minutes until they reached the sector checkpoint where they had to show their Jam Pony badges and Alec began talking again.  
  
"So Max, what did OC say?"  
  
"None of your business."  
  
"Fine, just making conversation Max."  
  
"So, what did you tell her this morning, well apart from the obvious, I mean about why you left in such hurry last night?"  
  
"Just told her that 'The Simpsons' was on."  
  
"And it worked?"  
  
"Like a charm, you know how I am about tv,why? Would you rather I had told her the truth?"  
  
"No, I actually thought you had this morning, for a minute and I almost told her myself."  
  
"Well I just hope you enjoyed your little moment of torture because I meant what I said earlier, you will regret it and I will have revenge. You're going to rue the day you tried to mess with me," he said as they turned the corner for Max to deliver her first package.  
  
"Did you actually just say 'rue the day?' I didn't know it was possible to be that overdramatic and pompous at the same time," she said moving in front of him to ring the doorbell.  
  
"It may be pompous and overdramatic but trust me you will," said Alec trying to work out the perfect plan.  
  



	3. Feeling the Heat

Just Wondering  
  
Chapter Three: Feeling the Heat.  
  
Surprisingly, Max actually found herself enjoying the rest of the day with Alec. Of course it was full of their trademark witty banter and teasing, but Max felt that something had definitely changed. It was less bitchy and more affectionate than usual. As much as Max hated to admit it appeared that Alec was right. For although it was a bit strange knowing that she had kissed him, and that she wanted to do it again, for revenge purposes only of course, and that she knew Alec was secretly plotting how to make her 'rue the day' she had ever tried to mess with him . . . they seemed to be getting on like friends. And not just friends, really good friends, the kind that knew everything about the other and confided in each other, something that a week ago she would have said her and Alec were definitely not.  
  
So by the time Max got back to Jam Pony for her lunch break she was in a genuinely good mood. Something that only happened in very rare occasions and never in work. Which is why when she walked over to OC smiling, OC immediately wondered what was going on.  
  
"What's up with you? You look all... glowy."  
  
"I just got back form rounds with Alec," said Max, putting her bag in her locker.  
  
"Ok something doesn't add up. You have spent the whole day with Alec, and now you are smiling, laughing, generally looking happy and there is a suspicious absence of swearing, moaning and bitching about Alec who from here looks unbruised. Overdose or under dose?" asked OC looking genuinely worried and testing her friend's temperature with the back of her hand. "What? Can't I just be in a good mood?"  
  
"Not on a normal day and definitely not on an Alec filled day."  
  
"Well it appears OC you don't know me as well as you thought," she said walking off and for the first time in her life, OC didn't know what to say.  
  
"What'd you say to my girl?"  
  
"Excuse me?" asked Alec knowing exactly what OC was talking about. Things had definitely been different between him and Max today and so obviously, OC had assumed he had done something.  
  
"She is acting all weird and well I'm guessing it is your fault," she said confirming his suspicions.  
  
"What kinda weird?" he asked playing dumb.  
  
"She's in a really good mood."  
  
"And?"  
  
"She has spent all day with you," said OC slightly frustrated that she didn't appear to be getting the peculiarity of the situation across to him. "And I want to know why she is acting so strangely!"  
  
"Look I don't know or particularly care why," said Alec indifferently. "You never know, maybe she finally gotten some, if so about time and good for her plus if it keeps her off my back well then it really is all good so I truly don't see the problem here."  
  
Original Cindy pondered this for a moment before realising that she had been interrogating Alec without reason. Even if he was the reason for her change in mood, why was she complaining?  
  
"You know I think you are right boo and I say we take full advantage of this situation. I mean Max is my girl and all but she was sure as hell stuck in a depressed rut and in case it doesn't last too long I say we show her all the fun she has been missing."  
  
"Damn straight! You can definitely count me in, hell any excuse to go a little mad," said Alec getting excited at the idea of a good night out. "We should do something different for once."  
  
"For sure."  
  
After a few minutes of silence throughout which Alec and OC were attempting to think of something to do before Cindy said, "Crash at eight?"  
  
"Sounds good," said Alec.  
  
"And I'm sorry about going at ya there, it's just usually when you two have to do rounds together Max is usually pissed off and well when I heard yous were working together today I worked out a few good comforting and advisory phrases. A 'Why don't' you try and get to know the boy better' and a 'you know Alec, selfish as ever,' depending on her level of anger. Some of my better work, if I do say so myself, its enough to give an opinion and make sure she can't turn on me."  
  
"And here's me thinking that you were just effortlessly wise and by the way I am not selfish!" protested Alec.  
  
"Sure, good luck convincing yourself there pretty boy, OC'll catch ya later," she said walking away, smiling at his lack of self-awareness.  
  
That night at half seven, Max was to be found in front of the mirror putting on . . . make up! She had just finished curling her hair and was now applying considerable amounts of black eyeliner. When OC had informed her that they were going to Crash she had found herself asking if Alec was going and when it turned out that he was, Max found herself with a sudden desire to make a bit of an effort.  
  
But why was she going to all this effort? She wondered. 'Not for Alec, that's for sure' she thought. She raised an eyebrow at herself in the mirror. 'Oh please!' said the other voice I her head, the annoying, truthful one that she didn't like. 'Ok, maybe I am doing this for Alec . . . but only to make any revenge all the sweeter. Me just sitting there looking like this and him knowing he can't have me is the perfect torture.' Pleased with her justification to herself she put down the eyeliner and stepped back from the mirror giving herself the once over.  
  
"Damn, girl," said OC coming out of the bathroom, still putting earrings on. "You really pulled out all the stops tonight, any reason in particular?"  
  
"No, just wanted a change. I kinda realised how much I missed my curls, which look good with the extra length."  
  
"You have been so different today," commented OC.  
  
"Good different?" asked Max.  
  
"Great different, I'm not sure what has changed but I sure hope it stays that way. There is nothing I love more than seeing you happy boo and it has been a while."  
  
Sharing a hug the two best friends smiled. "Ok," said OC. "Lets go show them what we're made of." Grabbing their jackets, they were out the door.  
  
Walking into Crash, Max and OC knew everyone in the room was watching them and they lapped it up. Max headed towards their usual table while OC grabbed a pitcher of beer from the bar.  
  
Looking around the room Max noticed that Alec hadn't arrived yet. Before she could get too lonely, Sketchy came down and sat beside her. "Whoa Max! what's up with you?" rolling her eyes Max smiled, "Nothing Sketch, so you up for a game of pool, you never know I might even let ya win a few, boost your confidence before you loose a week's wages to Alec later."  
  
"Sure," said Sketchy, getting up and heading towards the pool table. After a few minutes of playing, Max looked up at the door again, just like she had been doing since she arrived, but this time she saw Alec entering Crash, causing her to miss a very basic shot.  
  
"Shit Max! How'd you miss that? Even I could have hit it!" exclaimed Sketchy. "Sorry Sketch," she said still staring at Alec. "Hey, don't be, I actually have a chance of winning now!"  
  
"Yeah," said Max distantly. She watched Alec carefully as he entered, heading straight for the bar and sending a few knee weakening smiles to the girls that sent looks his way. Looking round the room she caught Max's eyes. He smiled and gave a small wave before Max looked away hurriedly, embarrassed that he had caught her staring at him.  
  
'What do ya know?' thought Alec. 'Max 'queen bitch' Guevara actually blushed,' he thought, smiling with self-satisfaction.  
  
He ordered a pitcher of beer and brought it over to the table were OC was sitting. "Looking good Maxie," he said with a wink as he passed her. "Hey, don't call me that," she said, tough girl attitude firmly back in place.  
  
"Sure thing Maxie," he said.  
  
"Ugh!" said Max, angrily.  
  
"Oh and by the way, if you though dressing up and looking as fine as you do tonight was going to distract me from my revenge you were sadly mistaken, MAXIE," he whispered to her before walking of. With a smug, grin on his face, 'oh yes, this is going to be good.'  
  
Five minutes later Max was still playing with Sketchy and watching Alec, who to her annoyance still hadn't made his move. 'Whatever that may be,' she thought. Looking up she saw someone else sitting at the table with OC and Alec. 'Oh no, this can so not be good,' thought Max beginning to panic. It was Logan. She watched on as OC left them and headed to the bar. 'Really not good.'  
  
"Hey, guys, room for one more?" Alec looked up to see Logan standing there waiting expectantly. 'No," he thought but sighing, he thought the better of it and simply said, "Sure."  
  
Logan sat down and looked about the bar, "Is Max here."  
  
"Uh no that's her clone over there playing pool with Sketch," retorted Alec. 'Dumbass.'  
  
"Oh," said Logan, "She looks different."  
  
Looking between Logan's creepy, slimy, smile and Alec's pissed off expression, OC decided to excuse herself.  
  
"If you fellas don't mind there is a honey over there that Original Cindy would like to get better acquainted with," she said leaving quickly.  
  
Although Alec was irritated with OC for ditching him and leaving him with possibly his least favourite person, it meant that now he could play. He had racked his brain all day to think of a way that he could make Max squirm, but had came up blank so although it did not fit in with the theme of their now trademark torture Alec figured that this would be the next best thing.  
  
If there was one thing, he knew for certain, it was that Max was watching him anxiously afraid of what he would say to her 'not-like-that' on again off again boyfriend so he figured that there was no reason to have her fears unfounded.  
  
"So Logan buddy, there is something I think you should know . . . it's about Max and I don't think you are going to like it."  
  
'What the hell are they talking about?' wondered Max who due to lack of concentration was getting her ass whooped by Sketchy. Ending the torture of not knowing what was going on Max 'accidentally' potted the eight ball. "Whoopsie! My bad, you win Sketch."  
  
Not even waiting for a response, Max left and headed to the table that Alec and Logan were occupying. "Hey Logan," she said.  
  
Getting up with an angry look on his face, Logan looked at her, "I don't want to talk to you Max," he said.  
  
"Huh, why?" she asked uncertainly, with a feeling that Alec had something to do with the reason.  
  
Alec sighed, "I told him Max."  
  
"You did what?" exclaimed Max, her eyes bulging and her foot aching to make contact with Alec's ass.  
  
"I had to Max, it was unfair of you not to tell him so I had to do the right thing, it was just eating me up inside Max," he said so convincingly that if it wasn't for the cocky grin he flashed her when Logan wasn't looking she would have believed him.  
  
"I just can't believe that you would do this to me Max," said Logan whose eyes were welling up with tears and he stormed of before they could spill.  
  
"Logan, wait!" Max called after him. "Oh my god Alec, why do you have to be such an asshole?" she practically screamed at him.  
  
"I'll tell you if you tell me why you always have to be such a bitch," said Alec defensively. "But look before you go running after him and make a total mess out of things you should know that . . ."  
  
"Are you kidding me? I think you have made enough of a mess thank you very much. God I know you swore revenge but I never thought you would do something like this Alec, before it was all a little harmless teasing but oh no you had to retaliate with something that would actually have consequences."  
  
"But Max, listen to me . . ."  
  
"Ah but I forgot that you didn't care for consequences or for anyone but yourself," she said running after Logan.  
  
'Fine,' thought Alec, who was angry and hurt by what she had said. 'She can ruin her relationship for all I care.' He got up, went to the bar and ordered another drink.  
  
A/N: Ok I know that this chapter wasn't like the first two but this needed to be done. Only another two chapters to go and they will be more like the first two I promise. 


	4. The Competitive Streak

Just Wondering

Chapter Four: The Competitive Streak

A/N: I know, I know, took me long enough! Sorry and I hope people will read this even if it did take me forever to update. Hope you like!

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Max ran out of Crash and looked about for Logan, but she couldn't see him anywhere. 'Damn Alec! Why does he always have to be so inconsiderate?' she thought to herself. She hopped on her bike, mentally cursing Alec all the way to Foggle Towers.

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Alec sat in Crash, drinking his beer alone. 'So what if she wants to ruin her relationship with Logan, that's not my problem,' he thought to himself. 'Uh, only it is kind of your fault,' his annoyingly rational conscience was telling him.

Original Cindy came and sat down beside him. "Hey, where'd my girl go?"

"It appears that 'stuck in a depressed rut' Max is back," he said.

OC raised an eyebrow questioningly. "She's away running after lover boy," elaborated Alec.

"Oh," she said. "Look, I think we both know that I just want my boo to be happy but I'm beginning to get the impression that with Logan, it doesn't appear to be an option."

"Preaching to the choir Cindy, really you are, but honestly you don't want to try telling Max that," said Alec. "Trust me . . . not good."

OC laughed, "She kicked your ass didn't she?"

"She tried, but seeing that I was on my bike at the time, it proved to be easier said than done. I think that now she tries to lure me into saying things that she can find offensive just for an excuse to touch me and my fabulous ass."

"You are right there suga, if Original Cindy were to grab a man's ass it would most certainly be yours," said OC, humouring the male transgenic in front of her.

"Thanks Cindy."

"So what'd you do?" asked OC.

"Nothing!" said Alec, raising his hands defensively.

"This is me here Alec, the all knowing one remember?"

"I may, now I can't say for certain, but I _may_ have told Logan that Max didn't want to do his Eyes Only missions anymore, which was true before you start ragging on my ass," said Alec.

"Why on earth would you tell him?" asked OC, trying to gain some insight to the way Alec's mind worked.

"I was bored," he said, shrugging. "Plus, the look on his face was priceless," he said with a smile, remembering Logan's expression when Alec had broken the 'devastating' news.

"You should have seen it, it was like this," said Alec, doing an impression of Logan. He slumped down in his seat and scrunched up his face, chin jutting out with his eyes as wide as he could make them.

Cindy let out a huge snort upon seeing Alec's contorted face and Alec and Sketchy, who was walking over, watched in amazement as beer came spurting out of Original Cindy's nose.

"Damn boy," she said, when her breathing returned to normal, "That was funny, not to mention it had this eerie resemblance."

"Why thank you Cindy," said Alec. "But I can't lie to you I _was_ practicing for a while. That guy over there gave me the finger cause he thought I was making fun of him."

"Dude," said Sketchy. "Was that an impression of Logan?"

"How'd you know?" asked Alec.

"It looked a bit like him."

"Fair enough," said Alec. "Look guys I gotta blaze. I have to go stop Max from doing something stupid, cause if she does it, it'll probably be my fault," he said, draining the end of his beer before grabbing his jacket and heading for the door.

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"Max, I don't want to talk to you, that's why I left Crash."

"But Logan, if you would just hear me out," pleaded Max.

"I don't want to hear you out Max! You betrayed me! And you didn't even have the decency to tell me yourself! Of all people I had to hear about it from Alec! Alec for god's sake!" yelled Logan.

"Look Logan, it didn't mean anything, me and Alec in that . . ."

"Hey party people!" came Alec's voice as he came in though the window.

"Alec what the hell are you doing here?" demanded Max.

"I just thought I'd drop by to see my two favourite star-crossed lovers. Max can I talk to you outside for a sec?" he asked.

"No you cannot!" said Max. "If you think for one second that after what you've done I am going anywhere with you, you are sadly mistaken," she said, glaring at him with her arms folded. "Now if you don't mind I would like some privacy with Logan right now."

"Actually I do mind," said Alec as he walked round to face Max. He bent down and grabbed her by the legs, throwing her over his shoulders.

"Alec!" screamed Max, frantically kicking her legs and hitting Alec's back. "Put me down this instant or I swear to god I am sooooo going to . . ."

"Kick my ass, yeah, yeah, I know, heard it all before Maxie," said Alec, heading to the door. "I'll bring her back in a moment Loge boy," said Alec. He closed the door behind him and began to put Max down. "Honestly Max why do you have to be so uncooperative?"

"What do you want Alec? Haven't you ruined my life enough for one night?" she asked.

"Are you kidding me? I don't think I'm anywhere near that level of annoyance yet, but I'm sure that given time. . . "

"Shall we be arriving at a point anytime soon?" asked Max, impatiently.

"Yes, I didn't tell Logan what you think I told Logan," he said.

"Oh, really then what did you tell him?" demanded Max.

"That you didn't want to do his Eyes Only missions anymore."

"Why would you tell him that?"

"Cause it's true you told me!" said Alec. "Plus, _I_ didn't want to do his stupid Eyes Only missions anymore."

"When on earth did I tell you that?" Max wanted to know, cause for the life of her she couldn't remember.

"That time when we were on a mission for Logan, and do you remember we were stuck in that storage closet for like an hour waiting for the guards to go?"

"Alec, you are going to have to narrow it down for me," said Max.

"You see this is what I'm talking about those missions are _borr-ing_!"

"Alec," warned Max.

"Uh, we were going to get . . . ooh what was it?" asked Alec, searching his mind, lowering his eyebrows in concentration.

"I don't know that's why I asked you!" said Max, getting angry and stamping her foot in frustration.

"Oh yes I remember! It was the security chip that gave him access to that big corporation that produced weapons!"

Max motioned with her hand for him to continue.

"So anyway we were in the cupboard and you were all, 'I swear to God I hate these missions, I don't know why I even agree to them anymore,'" he said, jumping about, acting it out, saying Max's lines in bad falsetto. "And then I was all, 'Cause your all hot for roller boy,' then you were all slapping me round the back of the head like."

"Just for a change then?" asked Max.

Alec continued, ignoring her, "And then you said, 'If it kills me I am never doing one of these pointless Eyes Only missions again,'" finished Alec, folding his arms and looking rather smugly at Max.

"Well?" he asked expectantly.

"If you think you are getting an apology you have another thing coming," she said stropily.

"Oh, come on Max, I saved you from telling the supposed love of your life that you have been making out with your own personal pain in the ass . . . and enjoying it might I add!"

Max looked at him incredulously. "Plus, thanks to me you no longer have to tell him yourself, you just have to roll with it!" finished Alec.

"That _is_ a good point," muttered Max to herself. "But I'm still not apologising. And there's _one_ thing I can't understand."

"Just the one?" asked Alec. "Wow Max have you been going to night classes or something?"

He then began rubbing his shoulder where Max had just punched him for his sarcastic comment.

"Why would you tell Logan that even if it was true?" she asked. "It didn't exactly fit in with the theme of the little war we got going here."

"What can I say?" said Alec, shrugging and looking rather sheepish. "I had a lack of imagination."

"Fine, I mean I always knew your brain was about the size of an abnormally small pea anyway," she said ignoring Alec's mock hurt look. "Now if you don't mind, I am going to go back inside to explain myself to Logan."

"Fair enough, see you back at Crash?" asked Alec, beginning to walk down the hall.

"Sure thing," said Max. "Oh and Alec?"

"Yeah Maxie?"

"You ever lift me again I can guarantee you that you will never be able to have children," she threatened.

"Kids are a little too messy for my liking anyway," reasoned Alec, getting into the elevator, flashing Max a trademark smirk.

Max rolled her eyes as she went back into Logan's apartment, to gently break the news that, yes, she was in fact sick of risking her life on a weekly basis just to get something that may or (the more likely outcome) may not save the world.

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By the time Max got away from Logan and back to Crash, both OC and Sketchy had left. Alec however, was busy chatting up a pretty redhead in the corner.

'Typical,' thought Max, rolling her eyes and heading over to the bar to order a bottle of beer. She made a half-hearted wave in Alec's direction but he was too busy laughing at something the girl he was speaking to had said to notice her. While taking a sip from her beer, she realised that it was now her turn.

She began watching the pair out of the corner of her eyes. When Alec got up to go to the toilet, she seized her chance and headed over to the girl who was smiling to herself.

"Hey," said Max, going up to the girl.

"Uh, hey," she said unsurely. "Um, I'm sorry I don't mean to sound rude but do I know you?"

"No actually," said Max, offering her hand to the girl. "I'm Max, I know Alec, the guy you were talking to."

"Oh," said the girl, a slight smile playing at her lips and hints of a blush appearing on her cheeks. "I'm Sarah," she said politely, shaking Max's hand. "He's really great isn't he?"

"Yeah, that he is," said Max, looking away from the girl who wouldn't stop smiling.

"So what are you? Like an ex or something?" she asked giving a little giggle.

'Oh brother,' thought Max to herself but didn't let her dislike for Sarah show and instead she smiled sweetly at the girl with the long curly red hair in front of her.

"God no!" she said, giggling along with Sarah. "Nothing like that. It's just that . . . well I did kind of have a crush on him for a while," she said, putting on her best impersonation of a thirteen year old girl, smiling and giggling and even working up an embarrassed blush. "And it really broke my heart when I found out he was gay and I would just hate to see some other girl that he was trying to befriend go through the same thing I did."

"Ohhhhhhh," said Sarah, a look of disappointment and understanding coming over her face. "Thanks, I mean really I wouldn't have seen that in a million years!"

"I know," said Max sympathetically. "That's the trap, unfortunately."

"He's just so cute!" Sarah gushed.

"That's the way it goes. The best ones always seem to bat for the other team."

"Well thank you really, Max. God, you've saved me a lot of effort. Man it would have been embarrassing when I invited him back to my place then jumped him before I had managed to open the door!" said Sarah, laughing at herself.

"Wouldn't have just!" said Max, laughing along. "Well gotta go, nice meeting you Sarah," said Max, when she spied Alec coming out of the toilets and heading back in their direction.

Max smiled to herself smugly as she sat back down at the bar and lifted her bottle of beer. Alec was not going to be happy . . . and she was loving it.

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"Hey Max."

Max turned round to see Alec standing next to her, a forced smile on his face.

"Oh hey Alec," said Max, trying her hardest not to laugh.

"Funny thing. I was talking to Sarah over there . . . I believe you two have met."

Max just smiled as he continued.

"So we were chatting, laughing, you know, generally having a good time when I suggested that we took things back to my place."

Max couldn't help but snort into her beer.

"When she told me that it was ok, I didn't have to pretend, she knew and was fine with it. My good friend Max had came over and told her all about my homosexuality!" he ranted as Max continued to laugh.

"Of all the things Max, _why_ on earth would you tell her I was gay?" he asked, clearly furious.

"Well, unlike you, I don't have a lack of imagination," said Max, the tears now tripping down her face she was laughing so hard. "Oh come on!" she said when she saw Alec's serious expression. "You have to admit it is funny!"

"Do you see me laughing?" asked Alec.

"No, but that's because you are still in the closet and think that happy emotions aren't very masculine," said Max, making herself laugh even more.

Alec decided to take advantage of the brief silence in the bar as the DJ changed the records. "Jesus Christ Max, just because I turned _you_ down doesn't mean you have the right to go around telling girls that I _am_ interested in, that I'm gay!" he said loudly.

The majority of the people in the bar turned round to look at them interested, most with amused expressions on their faces. Max's smile dropped as she put down her beer and ran out of Crash.

'Oh my God!' she thought as she entered the alley behind the bar. 'People think I fancied Alec and that _he_ turned _me_ down,' she though, running her hands through her hair in a panic.

Alec soon appeared out after her. "You jerk!" she yelled, hitting him in the chest. "People are actually going to think that I like you."

"And that's not ok but telling attractive women that I like that I'm gay is fine?" demanded Alec.

"Yes!" exclaimed Max. "That had a negative affect on you! This is about _me_!"

"Oh and God forbid that anyone think anything bad about Max?" asked Alec.

"Damn straight!" yelled Max.

"I've got news for you Maxie. That was nothing, that was a small jibe, not my revenge cause what you did to me was far worse than that! You put my reputation at stake!" said Alec, clearly offended, adjusting his jacket collar.

"Oh please!" said Max. "And **_don't . . ._ call . . . me . . . Maxie**," she said, furiously as she glared at the smart ass in front of her. "What?" she demanded. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"You are hot when you are angry, you know that?" he said before grabbing her and kissing her fervently. Max was taken back at first, many emotions and thoughts running through her, but then found herself kissing him back, her arms going around his neck. When he moved down to cover her neck with feather light kisses she got the opportunity to speak again and decided to take it before it was gone again.

"What the hell are you doing?" she asked, trying her best to put on her tough girl attitude an push him away but failing miserably.

"It's called revenge," muttered Alec between kisses.

"_Sure_ it is," said Max. "Has it ever occurred to you that maybe you are actually interested in me . . . romantically?" she asked, curiously.

"Has it ever occurred to you that maybe I am just a very competitive person?" asked Alec, making his way back up to her mouth again.

Max couldn't help put respond to the kiss passionately but at the same time, she couldn't help but feel disappointed at his answer and even worse . . . she didn't know why.

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A/N: To anyone who cares I will be updating my other Dark Angel fic, 'The Surprise' pretty soon. Sorry it has been so long since I updated anything on this page, I got caught up in my Charmed fic which I wrote to help me mourn Chris' death. It's all very sad! Lol.

Anyhoo please review!!!!

Thanks for reading!


	5. Hot in Here

**Just Wondering **

**A/N:** I'm really sorry that I only seem to update this fic like once a year but I'm getting my act together, honestly I am! I just hope that somebody out there somewhere in fanfic land still cares.(inserts hopeful smilie)

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**Chapter 5: Hot in Here**

The next morning Alec walked into Jam Pony with the usual twinkle in his eye and smug grin on his face firmly in place. He greeted Normal at the dispatch desk and then headed for his locker. Suddenly, a strong arm shot out from the storage closet he was passing and dragged him in as he yelled, "What the . . .?" and the door was quickly slammed shut behind him. He spun around to see Max standing in front of him, arms crossed and a scowl on her face. "Oh, I see, you want an early morning treat," he said, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

"Don't be such a pig," she said, wacking him on the shoulder. "That isn't what this is about."

"Oh really?" asked Alec, disbelieving. "Then why else are you in work _before_ your shift starts, for the first time ever I might add, and why did you drag me into a dark cupboard, where there is little space between us, if it isn't to have your wicked way with me?"

"We need to talk about last night," she said, clearly uncomfortable with the discussion topic.

"Ugh what is with you chicks needing to talk every damn thing through?" said Alec. "We kissed, simple as that. It wasn't the first time we did it and we're both grown-ups here so I really don't see what there is to analyse."

"Yeah but _why_ did we kiss? I mean I barely like you!"

"Excuse me?" said Alec. "You _barely_ like me? What's that supposed to mean?"

"Now who's trying to over analyse?" said Max, rolling her eyes. "Look all I'm saying is that for two people that supposedly 'just kissed' it got pretty intense last night."

"That's cause I'm a damn good kisser," said Alec. "It's really a good thing that I pulled away when I did before you took things too far."

"Who are you trying to kid there, stud? _I _pulled away from _you_."

"Oh please Maxie, you were so far gone last night you wouldn't have pulled away if White came around the corner and started shooting at us!"

"You really need to get over yourself, do you know that?" said Max, angrily. "Cause contrary to popular belief, you Alec, are _not_ irresistible to women, especially not this one. I feel sorry for you really. You're just so deluded, it's actually quite sad. I mean newsflash Alec, I am not half as attracted to you as you seem to think!"

"Oh really?"

"Yeah," said Max, gaining confidence, "Really."

"Then either you have really low standards for yourself or you're a pretty good actress," said Alec. "I mean I'd like to say it was the latter, but then again, look at Logan."

Max was taken back and the cheshire grin on Alec's face only grew wider. "Well I'll admit that kissing you was stooping pretty low, I honestly don't know what I was thinking so I'll just have to plead temporary insanity, but then again there was _some_ acting involved, cause you couldn't turn me on if I had a switch!"

"I've never heard such shit in my life Max! And I lived at Manticore for 22 years or so!" he said, stepping towards her. "Are you really going to pretend that it doesn't get you going when I kiss your neck like this," he said, his voice now low and husky as he bent down and placed tender, feather light kisses along the side of Max's neck. "Or do this," he murmered as he moved up to her ear, soothingly kneading her lobe with his teeth and massaging it with his lips.

Max knew she should have stopped him, after all the sensuous whimpers that were escaping from her mouth were only proving his point, and her knees were once again beginning to weaken, but it just felt so good . . .

"Dammit Alec!" she said, pushing her off him and into the wall opposite them before rushing after him and kissing him fiercely, her hands roaming under his shirt and up his back. If she was going to be proved wrong it might as well be on her terms.

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What was that?" asked Rose, one of the Jam Pony messengers upon hearing a loud bang coming from the near by storage cupboard.

"Sounds like two of our work buddies skipped breakfast this morning and went straight to desert," said Original Cindy, with a coy smile.

"Really?" said Sketchy. "Sounds to me like there're two people humping in the closet."

"Fool!" said O.C. as she slapped him round the back of the head.

"What's going on here?" said Normal, when he noticed the large crowd thathad gathered around the door.

"Looks like the storage closet is finally being put to good use," said a messenger.

"Huh?" asked Normal, heading for closet when he heard a bump followed my a female groan. "Oh for God's sake!" yelled Normal. "That's it, show's over!" he said, ushering them all away. "Back to work!" He turned back to the closet and began knocking loudly on the door. "Excuse me! That's enough! Get out here now whoever is in there!" he demaned while continuing to hammer on the door with his fist. "That's it, I'm coming in!" he said reaching for the handle . . .

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Max could feel the world slipping away from her as Alec turned his attention back to her neck, and she just didn't care anymore. Alec was right, she was very attracted to him and on the offchance he didn't know before she sure as hell did now. Her arms snaked round the back of his neck, her fingers tugging at the hair at the nape of his neck, trying to pull him closer to her as she kissed him hungrily. She once again reversed their positions and slammed him into a wall. Well what she thought was a wall, in fact turned out to be a door. A door that was. . .opening?

"Oh shit!" she yelled, but her words were muffled by Alec's lips against her own as she came tumbling out of the cupboard and landed on top of Alec.

All of Jam Pony turned round to see who it had been in the cupboard keeping them so amused and when they recognised them, every jaw in the place hit the floor.

"Golden Boy? With. . . with... Missy Miss?" said Normal, in shock.

"Sweet baby Jesus," said O.C. "Don't tell me OC's eyesight has finally up and left her!"

"Yeah yours and everybody else's in here," said Rose.

It was only when Max looked up at all the shocked faces staring down at her that she realised she was still straddling Alec. She quickly got up, "Alec, how many times? I'm not going to help you clear out the damn closet just so you can score some extra cash!" She went over to the dispatch desk and lifted a parcel before heading straight to the door. In the mean time, Alec had also picked himself up and was currently brushing himself off. "Well a guy had to try," he said. "Man in was dusty in there. Gotta go, hot run to sector three!" he said also heading for the door, with Sketchy at his side. "When did that happen?" asked Sketchy when they got outside.

"I've no idea what you are talking about man," said Alec, getting on his bike.

"But just there now when you and Max . . ."

"So'd you see the game last night?" asked Alec quickly, taking advantage of Sketchy's short attention span.

"Man it was awesome! Completely off the hook!" said Sketchy, completely unaware of the glaring inconsistency of their conversation.

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'Oh my God!' thought a panic striken Max as she made her rounds. 'Oh my God! I can never set foot in Jam Pony again! Hell Normal will probably fire my ass for messing around with his Golden Boy,' she thought as she got off her bike and knocked on the door. 'Ugh get it together Max. I mean you are going to have to come up with a valid reason for kissing Alec for O.C. She's not going to accept the temporary insanity thing. She'll just want to analyse it, (wow Alec's right that is annoying) and take it as I have feelings for Alec.'

"Jam Pony messenger," she said when an elderly woman answered the door. "I need a Mrs. K. Walthrom's signiture here please," she said, handing over the clipboard.

"Yes that's me. Hold on a sec while I get my glasses dear," she said, heading back into the house.

' What a crock of shit. I don't have feelings for him . . . well other than total loathing. And that warm feeling I get in the pit of my stomach when my smiles at me. Or that whole knee wobbling thing that goes on if he even touches me. But he's just such a dick. . . I knew not naming him that would come to bite me in the ass. I wonder what it would be like to actually have Alec bite me in the ass? That, is enough! Stop that right now. He's just a selfish, egotistical prat!' "A complete and utter prat."

"I beg your pardon!"

Max suddenly snapped out of her thoughts and was faced with a rather angry looking woman. "Huh?" she asked confused.

"I was just asking if there was anywhere else I needed to sign, there was no need to be rude young lady!"

"Oh no no no no no," said Max, quickly when she realised that last thought hadn't in fact been a thought at all.

"And I especially did not appreciate the foul mouthed language! That was particularly uncalled for! I shall be ringing your superior to complain. Now good day!"

"But I . . ."

"I said good day!" said the woman as she closed the door on an embarassed Max, having thrust the clipboard into her hand.

'Oh shit," she thought. 'Well at least now Normal will fire me and I won't have to face any of them ever again. Well, apart from OC.' Max groaned as she banged her head off the wall. 'This is all Alec's fault.'

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Alec crawled into bed in the early hours of the morning, slightly worse for the wear. He'd worked hard all day, going on pretty much every run Normal had to offer, he didn't even take a lunch break. He knew that if he stayed in the one place for too long that OC would track him down and that so wasn't a conversation he wanted to have. Not now. Not ever. Then he'd went to Crash for a quick beer, praying to God that OC wouldn't be there. Clearly God had forsaken him, as he practically had to blur outta the bar when OC spotted him and made a beeline for him. Instead he had ended up going to a bar where they had served him actual liquor. 'Man that was some strong stuff,' he thought as he kicked off his shoes. After all it had temporarily beat his metabolism and as a result he was slighty tipsy. 'That must have been some serious black market pre-pulse shit.' He finally collapsed on his bed and closed his eyes. 'Peace at last.'

His eyes flashed open five seconds later when he heard someone move in the room. Then there was silence. He heard another noise and reached out to flick the lamp back on but someone else beat him to it. "We need to do damage control," said Max, arms folded, scowl in place as per usual.

"Max it's 2am!" said Alec, sitting up in bed. "Nobody does damage control at 2am, not even you. If someone calls to your house at 2am they only want one thing, and I'm really not in the mood. Plus I'm slightly tipsy and so you would be taking advantage of me, which we really couldn't have so bye Max."

"Why is it every time I talk to you, you think I'm after sex?" Max demanded to know, getting on to the bed and slowly crawling towards him.

"Because you are?" said Alec, as if it were obvious. "I mean if you didn't why on earth would you be purring right now? You could really give a guy the wrong impression."

"And you could really make a girl think she's feeling ill, it's like 100 degrees in here," she said, now perched over him, slowly leaning down to kiss him.

Alec pulled her down onto the bed with him. "Well if it's hot in here it just must be you causeI think it's rather temperate," he said kissing her back. "So much for damage control."

"So much for not being in the mood," said Max, undoing the buttons on his shirt."God the heat really is killing me."

Suddenly Alec broke the kiss. "Hold on a minute! I'm_ not _in the mood! And it's reallynot that warm in here at all. Shit Max you're in heat!"

"What?" she asked, rolling her eyes, annoyed he'd broken their contact.

"Max, you're going to need to stay away from me. I got feline DNA as well, I can smell those hormones coming off you in waves and trust me, they do not help me resist you one bit," he said as he scrambled to the otherside of the room.

"Alec, don't be ridiculous, don't you think I would know if I was in heat?" said Max.

"No, well not until you've done something you're going to regret anyway," he said, buttoning up his shirt. "I mean it Max stay back."

"Alec, as you said earlier we're both grown ups here," she said, walking seductively towards him. "I ain't going to regret anything cause I'm not in heat," she said logically, her fingers moving slowly down his chest to his jeans.

"Max . . ." said Alec, his grip on reality weakening as she undid his button and slowly pulled down his zip. "Ssssh," she said.

Alec didn't know what hit him that moment but he'd never been so grateful for the little drop of blood that had somehow remained near his brain, to supply it with enough oxygen for him to snap out of the spell her heat hormones were casting on him. He quickly pushed her back and lifted her swiftly. "Alec what are you doing?" she squealed as he headed for the bathroom.

"Stopping you from kicking my ass when you get over this," he said, dumping her in the shower and turning the cold water on. "You'll thank me when you mind clears up," he said leaving her and heading straight for the phone. He had no other option. "Hey OC it's Alec."

"Hey Alec, its past 2am!" said O.C. clearly grumpy.

"I know and I wouldn't call you unless it was an emergency. Max is in heat and pretty much trying to jump my bones and because of my feline DNA I don't know how much longer I'm going to be able to resist her," he explained.

"Then get the hell outta there, cause I swear pretty boy, if I found out that you took advantage of my girl . . ." she warned.

"OC trust me, it's not like that at all. I'm as much at the mercy of the hormones as she is," he said. "But if I leave her here by herself I'm afraid she's going to go out and do something really stupid."

"Or someone." said OC.

"Exactly," said Alec. "Look I sent her for a cold shower so we should be ok for now but just . . ."

"Already on my way sugah," said O.C.

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Alec was in the middle of his 255th push up when it hit him. The steam came wafting out of the bathroom, and Alec could smell the hormones in it that had diffused out of Max's pores and into his nose. "Two hundred and fifty **six**, two hundred and fifty **seven**," he said with more determination, gritting his teeth. He was going to beat this. He wasn't going to let a couple of hormones get to him, he was a soldier god dammit!

"Thanks, I really needed that."

He stopped at the sound of Max's voice, and looked up to find her dripping wet from head to toe, her black tank top and trousers clinging to her. 'Good Lord, this is going to be my undoing,' he thought with a gulp. "Uh, Max?"

"Don't worry, I'm feeling better," she assured him. "Cooler, calmer."

"Good," said Alec, getting up and dusting himself off. "Here, you can do push ups over here if you want. I need to go for my own ice cold shower."

"Ok," she said nervously.

"Don't worry," said Alec, "I locked the door and the windows, I'm nottelling you where the keys areand OC is on her way over. I'll be as quick as I can but right now I think I'm going to go insane if I don't get in there like **right** now."

Max could only give a forced grin as Alec disappeared into the bathroom and she heard the sound of the water hitting the bath. 'I wonder what it would be like to be in there with him? Oh no, definitely time for the push ups.' She got down and began working out. A couple of minutes later, a fully dressed but slightly wet Alec emerged and went to the fridge for some water.

Max was just trying to keep herself focused on her push ups, trying not to let her mind wander,and she was doing reasonably well until she made the mistake of looking to the side and catching a glimpse of Alec. 'Good Lord, he makes drinking water look hot. No Maxie, stop that.'

Alec finished his drink and was making his way back to his assigned spot for more push ups when he made the mistake of looking at Max while she was doing her push ups. 'Good Lord, she makes push ups look hot. I wish we were doing an altogether different type of physical activity right now. No Alec, stop that.' Suddenly their eyes met and locked on for a split second, 'So much for the cold shower,' they both thought, and that was that, they were gone again. As they both crashed on to the bed, they both knew it was a bad idea, but the fever just took over their minds, and there was nothing they could do to stop it.

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	6. Happy Wondering

**Chapter 6: Happy Wondering**

**A/N: ** I was so glad to see people were still reading! I got so many reviews after not updating for so long it was overwhelming! This, is however the last chapter, after all it was originally a stand alone but even after I always said it was going to be a short story. Plus I have to eventaully get around to finishing my other Dark Angel fic and properly start my Charmed fic. It's too much to do at once!

So enjoy this uberlong final chapter and please review!

Sorry once again for the lasck of spell check on my computer.

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Earlier that evening at Crash, Logan had been sitting with Sketchy and OC.

"Where's Max tonight?" he asked.

"I don't know," said Sketchy. "Maybe her and Alec are off somewhere killing each other, he's not here either. Then again they could be doing something altogether different . . . " said Sketchy, inanely grinning.

"What do you mean?" asked Logan.

"Nothing!" said OC, stamping on Sketchy's foot. She didn't know what was going on with Max and Alec but she knew for certain that if anyone was going to tell Logan it would be Max, and in her own time. Max and Alec had been avoiding her all day but she'd thought that one or both of them would show up at Crash eventually. 'And once again I'm right,' she thought as she spotted Alec entering the bar. "If you gentlemen will excuse me for just a moment," she said getting up and heading towards the nervous looking transgenic.

'Oh shit!' she thought when they locked gazes and she realised that Alec had spotted her coming towards him. Then, quick as anything he was gone. 'He blurred to avoid me! I don't believe it!'

She returned to the table just to hear the end of what Sketchy had been saying to Logan, ". . . and then there came Max and Alec out of the cupboard, all over each other. Max was practically straddling him!"

"What?" asked Logan.

"Sketch, I warned you!" said OC, furious.

"What?" asked Sketchy. "I thought you and Max had broken up!" he said to Logan, innocently and truthfully.

"Why would you think a thing like that?" asked Logan, through gritted teeth.

"Well you never spend any time together apart from here with everyone else!" said Skecthy quickly, trying to save himself from getting beat up by OC in front of everyone. "Besides with that virus thing that's going on between you two or whatever that is I always overhear someone talking about, what's the point?"

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Alec finished his drink and was making his way back to his assigned spot for more push ups when he made the mistake of looking at Max while she was doing her push ups. 'Good Lord, she makes push ups look hot. I wish we were doing an altogether different type of physical activity right now. No Alec, stop that.' Suddenly their eyes met and locked on for a split second, 'So much for the cold shower,' they both thought, and that was that, they were gone again. As they both crashed on to the bed, they both knew it was a bad idea, but the fever just took over their minds, and there was nothing they could do to stop it . . .

Alec's heart was pumping, his mind was racing and his hands exploring, nothing in the history of anything had ever felt this good, and Max didn't seem to be complaining either. Then suddenly everything went black. When he eventually woke up his head was splitting and he was on the ground, covered in ice. Thankfully, it appeared he was still fully dressed . . . . so what had happened? He blinked a couple of times, trying to restore his vision when he heard the familiar voice. "Come on, I know you can do better than that soldier!"

"OC?" he finally asked sitting up.

"So nice of you to finally join us pretty boy," said OC.

"What the hell happened?" he asked, getting up.

"What the hell do you think you are doing?" asked OC. "Get you ass outside right now!"

"Geez!" he said, putting his hands up defensively. He headed for the door when he realised that he no longer had a door. It was in fact lying on the ground. "Uh . . . OC?"

"Outside!" she repeated.

"I'm going, I'm going!" said Alec, stepping over his door and out of the apartment.

"As for you," said OC, turning her attentions back to Max. "I want another 100 push ups then I want you in that shower soldier! Do you hear me!"

"Yes Mam!" yelled Max, the sweat dripping of her as she gallantly continued on with her push ups.

"And make it a cold one," said OC, before going out to join Alec in the hall. "Close the door for us will ya sugah?"

Wordlessly, Alec went over and picked up the door, effortlessly proping it up against the frame. Then OC smacked him up against the back of the head, "What do you think you are playing at?"

"What do you mean?"

"Last time I was talking to you, I was promised that you wouldn't touch her. Then I get here and can hear you two getting jiggy on the bed and I had to kick the door in!"

"You did that?" asked Alec, impressed. "Woah, nice one Cindy!"

"Don't change the subject! Last time I checked you had the situation under control, what were you thinking?" she demanded.

"I wasn't!" protested Alec, "That's the problem with being around a female X5 when she's in heat, the males loose control as well."

"Luckyfor you I anticipated that and brought our frying pan," said OC. "I wacked you over the head with it and knocked you out," she explained when Alec raised a questioning eyebrow.

"Ah," said Alec, rubbing the back of his head, "That explains the throbbing pain and the blackout ."

"Well on the upside I guess this means my girl hasn't lost her mind," said OC, reasonably. "I mean when I saw you two tumbling out of that cupboard in JP yesterday I thought I was going to have to get her crazy ass locked up for sure but she was in heat, and now the world makes sense again."

"Hey!" said Alec. "I resent that! Besides she wasn't _in_ heat earlier, it only just hit during the last couple of hours or so cause trust me, we would have been doing a lot more than tumbling when that door opened. And for your information she wasn't in heat yesterday either, or the day before that . . . or last week either so there," said Alec folding his arms.

"Woah! Hold up!" said OC, confused. "How long exactly has this been going on for? Hell _what_ exactly has been going on?"

"I don't really know," admitted Alec, "It all started last week when me and Max had been having one of our regular arguments and she said it was just the way we were with each other. That confused me and I wanted to know why. The explaination I came up with was that basically deep down we had the hots for each other. Ever since all we've been doing is proving each other right."

"Are you sure it isn't more than that?" asked OC.

"OC, all I know is that this is something you and Max should talk about when she's thinking straight, and also that if I don't get out of here right now you are going to have to get out that frying pan again," said Alec after getting a fresh wiff of heat hormones.

OC smiled, "Here you can crash at our place and we'll stay here," she said, tossing him the keys.

"Thanks OC," he said, turning to leave.

"Hey Alec!" called OC. "You were a good friend to Max tonight, all things considered, and I'm going to make sure she knows that."

"Later OC, thanks for knocking me unconscious!" he said with a grin, heading down the stairs.

"Anytime!"

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The next day, feeling a bit better, Alec ventured out that night to go to Crash. OC was still keeping Max under close watch at his apartment and he couldn't see Sketchy anywhere so he just went up to the bar and got himself a beer. It wasn't long before he was talking to a couple of women, who were listening intently to him, hanging on to every word he said. But something was wrong, usually he lapped this up, but tonight it just didn't feel right. Where was the challenge if they just flung themsleves at him? There was no chase, and personally, Alec had always thought that was where the fun was to be had.

"Hello, Alec," said a gruff voice behind him. Swiveling around on his stool he was confronted by Logan. "Hey there," said Alec. "Sorry, don't know where Max is," he lied, trying to get him to leave him alone.

"Can I talk to you for a moment?" asked Logan, anger growing in his voice.

"It would appear so," said Alec, causing his groupies to giggle.

"Outside," said Logan.

"Ok, hold just a . . . "

"Now," growled Logan, grabbing Alec by the jacket collar. Resisting his insticts to grab Logan's arm, break his grip and then break his arm, Alec let himself be dragged out of the bar. "If you ladies will excuse me. . . ." he said rolling his eyes.

"Loge boy, what's up?" he asked light heartedly when they got outside. Then his caviler attitude changed when he saw the serious expression on Logan's face. "Oh God what happened?" he asked frantically. "Is Max ok?"

"Why don't you tell me?" asked Logan, stepping menacingly towards him.

"Uh I don't know," said Alec. "Logan, what's going on? You are acting really wierd." 'Well, wierder than normal,' he thought to himself.

"Alec, I'm not stupid. I know that I don't have a snowball's chance in hell of beating you in a fight, hell of even getting in a blow, but let me tell you something; Max, is mine and therefore strictly offlimits. I know you seem to think that no woman is offlimits to you but in this case you are wrong."

"Woah Logan I don't know what . . ."

"Let me finish," insisted Logan. "I know me and Max are going through a bit of a rough patch at the moment but that doesn't mean that we're not going to work things out, and it sure as hell doesn't mean I'm just sit back and let you hurt her. She deserves better than that, she deserves better that you, she deserves me. Max is special, I know how to treat her like she is special, unlike you, so just do her a favour and stay away from her."

"Logan, I really don't have a clue what you are talking about," said Alec, as casually as he could.

"Don't play dumb," said Logan. "Sketch told me about you and Max in Jam Pony yesterday."

"Oh that!" said Alec, as flippant as he could manage. "That was a complete misunderstanding, I know what it must have looked like to Stetch and everyone else but trust me it wasn't."

"I'm not a fool, Alec! I'm asking you man to man to not take her away from me! You can have any woman you look sideways at but not her, please don't take her!" he said. There was less anger in his voice now, and there was definite desperation coming across in his tone, as his eyes welled up with tears.

"Logan! Get a hold of yourself!" said Alec as he looked upon the older man with pity. He gave a sigh. "Look I can explain everything. Max was in heat and because of my feline DNA I can't control myself around her. That's all there is between us, hormones, and it's all I want there to be. Max is a friend, a great friend nothing more and that's why I didn't want to say anything at first because to be honest, we're both a little embarrassed about the whole ordeal. But don't worry Max will be over it in a day or two and everything will be back to normal."

"Are you telling me the truth?" asked Logan, sniffing.

"Of course! Would I ever lie to you?"

"Yes," said Logan.

'Wow he's smarter than he looks.' "Ok I would but I'm not now, that's where OC and Max are now. They are in my apartment and OC is making sure Max doesn't let her hormones take control of her. Max loves _you_ and some crazy side affects of having feline DNA isn't going to change that. Everything is going to work out, you'll see."

"Thanks Alec," said Logan, after a few awkward moments of silence between the two men. "I'm sorry about before."

"No sweat."

"Well, I'd best be going," said Logan, heading to his car.

"Later!" callled Alec after him. 'Man what a whimp,' he thought shaking his head as he went back inside. 'He's wrong about one thing, he sure as hell doesn't deserve a woman like Max. How he got her I'll never know. Must be something in all that pre-pulse wine.'

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A couple of days later, Logan returned home to find Max in his apartment. "Hey Max!" he said, greeting her cheerily.

"Hi Logan," said Max, a small, nervous smile on her face.

"How are you?" he asked, putting his keys down on a nearby table.

"I'm good," said Max. "I know it's been a couple of days since we spoke but some stuff has been going on with me recently. That's kind of why I am here actually. Logan I need to tell you about something that happened between me and Alec."

"Max, it's ok, I know everything," said Logan, smiling kindly at her.

"No you don't understand, Alec and I . . ."

"Kissed," said Logan, interrupting her. "I know," he continued, after seeing the shocked expression on her face. "Sketchy told me about you and Alec in Jam Pony a couple of days ago and I'll admit I was mad at first, but then I talked to Alec and he cleared everything up."

"He did?" asked Max, still dumbfounded by the revelation that Logan knew.

"Yeah, he explained that it was all because of the heat and the hormones and that you two were still feeling a little awkward about it because you had become good friends," he said soothingly, as he put on a latex glove and went over to her and gently stroked her cheek with his thumb. "So don't worry about it, I understand. How about I put on some pasta and we have a nice romantic dinner, huh? How does that sound?"

Max could only nod, still disbelieving that Alec had saved her relationship with Logan. But the question was, did she really want it to be saved?

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On her way back to her own place, Max couldn't help but stop by Alec's, the place where she had been residing for the past few days, under the careful watch of OC, who had shown that she could certainly earn her general stripes. She went to knock on the door, but stopped when her fist was hovering close to it. She nervously chewed on her lip, and thought the better of it, quickly and silently turning round and heading back to the stairwell.

"Max?"

She spun around upon hearing Alec's familiar voice and found him leaning on his doorframe, grinning. "What you came all this way and weren't even going to visit?" he asked, with mock hurt.

She gave a small smile, before taking a few hesitant steps towards him. "I was just coming by to thank you for not letting your brain completely malfunction despite the raging hormones," she explained. "But then I started having flashbacks and thought maybe we still needed a couple of days to cool off a bit."

"Ah," said Alec, looking down, trying to fight the blush he knew was trying to work its way to the surface of his cheeks, and Max blantantly blushing in front of him was not helping. "I know what you mean, but it's not exactly like our friendship was one hundred percent platonic just before the heat incident anyway. We might as well just try to go back to normal bitching, teasing, fighting at this point."

There was a moment of silence before Max closed the gap between them and planted a quick kiss on his cheek.

"What was that for?" asked Alec confused.

"For being so sweet sometimes when we are together, and for not telling Logan that hormones had nothing to do with the Jam Pony incident."

"Well, heat hormones anyway," added Alec with a grin.

"Look I still need a couple of days before I can go back to normal or whatever 'normal' might be for me and you, I mean heat is really embarrassing for me, especially this one cause despite everything, I've come to realise that I do consider you a true friend. I guess I just wanted to thank you and your pain in the ass ways always having my back despite whatever is going on between us at the time," said Max. "And to say I think we'd be great best friends."

Alec contemplated this for a few seconds before breaking out into a grin and offering his outstretched hand as a truce, "Friends?"

"Friends," agreed Max, readily shaking his hand.

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"Oh it's so good to be back in my own bed!" said Max later that night, as she flung herself on to her bed and gave a content sigh.

"It's good to see you in it too Boo," said OC, entering the room with two steaming hot mugs of hot chocolate in her hands. She handed one to MAx who accepted is gratefully as OC sat down beside her. "So what happened with you and Logan? Did everything work out the way you hoped?"

"That's the strange thing, I don't know," said Max. "Me and Logan are back to normal, everything's fine, thanks to Alec," she added with a grin.

"What's strange about that?" asked OC confused.

"I don't know whether or not it's what I want anymore. Me and Logan have just been though so much together, I just always assumed that we'd find a cure for the virus and pick up where we left off and that everything would be perfect. But it just doesn't feel right anymore."

"Does it feel right with Alec?" asked OC.

"It feels different, that's for sure," said Max. "It's unknown territory and I find that exciting and the very idea of him gives me an adrenalin rush. When I'm with him the chances are that something exciting is going to happen. He's spontaneous and that's new to me. With Logan I know that we're going to end up back in Foggle Towers eating pasta and drinking wine, which is all very romantic, but once in a while, you know?"

"Yeah and when you are middle aged! Tou are in your early twenties girl, you _should _be out having fun and being spontaneous and doing things that make your heart pump faster."

"i'm beginning to realise that," Max admitted. "I think that's part of why I was initially so attracted to Logan. After spending a life being chased by Manticore, I jumped at the chance for any sort of normal, and Logan provided a haven of old-fashoined romance and everything that came with it and I found that so comforting for the longest time, but now it just seems a litte . . . "

"Claustrophobic?" offered Cindy.

"Exactly," asid Max, "And I don't know what to do."

"Here's what Original Cindy thinks," began OC. "If it doesn't feel right with Logan anymore, then end things between you two or it's only going to end up in more heartache. Just go over there and tell him the truth about you and Alec."

"But what's the point?" asked Max. "Alec and I have decided just to be friends."

"The point, is that keeping up the pretence with Logan isn't being true to yourself. It's not fair on him, it's not fair on you and it's not fair on Alec."

"How is it not fair on Alec?" asked Max.

"Cause you never could give him a realistic chance while you are still officially dating Logan!" said OC. "As far as Alec is concerned, Logan is the love of your life and if he doesn't know any better of course he's only going to be your friend."

"I don't know about that," said Max. "I mean we were a bit more than friends all of last week and I was still going out with Logan then."

"Yeah, a little bit more than friends, but not at all boyfriend and girlfriend," reminded OC. "Making out with the guy in a tit for tat revenge scenario does not consitute as a realistic chance. Now OC's advice is that you sleep on it and mkae a definite decision tomorrow about the men in your life."

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"Hi Max, it's good to see you again so soon!" said Logan. "Did you have as much fun last night as I did?"

"Uh . . . yeah," stuttered Max, unsure of what to say in the circumstances. "Logan we need to talk."

"About what?"

"Us," she said. "Me and you."

"What about us?"

There was a pause. Max didn't know how to continue, so she decided to just bite the bullet and come right out with it. "I don't think we should see each other anymore."

"WHAT!"

"Oh come on Logan, how can you have not seen this coming? I mean surely you have realised that things haven't been the same for us for a very long time now. I mean surely you aren't getting anything out of our 'relationship' either?" she asked. "We never talk anymore except about missions, we rarely see each other, we can't have a proper relationship because of the virus and we've just drifted apart over this past year."

"We just need to work at it a bit," insisted Logan. "Have more nights like last night . . ."

"That's not going to fix anything," said Max regretfully. She knew that he would take it hard and she was going to be as kind on him as she could but . . .

"This is about Alec isn't it? Huh, isn't it always about that self centred little prick?"

. . . maybe not.

"No!" she said. "This is about you and me and the truth is we just aren't clicking anymore. The flame burnt out a while ago and I just think that both of us were too scared to admit it."

"So this has nothing to Alec."

There was a pause and that was all the proof Logan seemed to need. "How could I have been so blind? So what is it? You liked what you got during your little heat taster and decided you want some more?" he asked, getting angrier by the second.

"Of course it's not like that!" insisted Max. "Yes, I'll admit I do have some unresolved feelings for Alec, but he's just a friend! Really, I don't even know what he means to me yet or what those feeling are but even if Alec wasn't in the picture that wouldn't change that we just don't work as a couple any more."

"I can't believe this is happening," said Logan, who was frantically pacing the apartment while Max stood awkwardly in the corner, nervously wringing her hands. "How can you be saying this? We are perfect for each other! A great team! Why can't you see that?"

"Because it's not true!" said Max, who was getting increasingly exsasperated by the second. "Yes when it comes to business we do work well together and we are great friends but a romantic relationship between us just doesn't work for some reason, and no one is more sorry about that than I am, cause I do love you Logan, but I'm just not _in _love with you," she stated simply, a certain sadness in her tone.

"But you are in love with Alec is that it?"

"No!"

"Oh come on Max, let's not play games here, you are a beautiful girl who's just not ready for a comitted grown up relationship," said Logan, bitterly. "All you care about is the superficial things that Alec is the epitome of."

"Logan, don't," pleaded Max. "You know that's not who I am."

"Really? So how come you are choosing the self-centred, spontaneous, arrogant bad boy who drives a motorcycle over the wise, intelligent man who drives a reliable car? All you are doing is putting style over substance," he spat with venom.

"How dare you judge me!" yelled Max, all sympathy she had felt for Logan now long gone. "You clearly don't know me at all."

"Oh please!" said Logan. "I've talked to you almost everyday ever since we first met."

"Yeah but you don't have the first clue about what my life was like before I met you! You've lead such a cushy exsistence as far as I can tell from stories of your childhood that you've told me, pracically uneffected by the pulse. You can never understand me unless you understand what that was like for me, and you quite simply can't even seem to grasp the concept!"

"And what, Alec can?" he sneered.

"Yes he does actually!" she said. "He lived through it too, and that he understands such a large part of who I am is important to me!"

"So what, he's a good-looking genetic freak, that's why you are choosing him over me?"

"First of all I'm not choosing him over you cause he has nothing to do with this!" she yelled. "But if I were it wouldn't be because he's a 'genetic freak,' as you so deroggatorily put it. It's because he get's me, and he's funny and can be so sweet at times when no one is looking. No matter what scheme he was getting up to, he always found the time to help me out in a tricky situation and yeah, he's damn hot! It's not a crime! There's so much more to him than he let's other people see, it's a self-preservation thng, I get it, I used to do it too, but he does have a vulnerable side," she said, thinking back to the night she saw him at Rachel's side.

"Oh whatever," said Logan. "It's so sad that he has you and every other female in Seattle, possibly the whole world fooled! Just get out of my sight," he said, turning back to his computer.

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Later that night, Max walked into Jam Pony and spotted Alec talking to a pretty brunette at the bar. Their eyes met across the room and they smiled at each other and gave similar nods of acknowledgement as Mac headed to the table which Original Cindy and Sketchy were sitting at. "Hey girl!" O.C. greeted. "What's happening?"

"Not too much, just back from the break up from hell," she said, sitting down beside them.

"It didn't go well?" asked OC.

"Do bears shit in the woods?" said Max.

"Yep," said Sketchy confidently, with a proud, beaming smile, causing the two women to laugh. "Well it's my round," said Sketchy getting up.

"No, no, no, this one's on me," said Max, standing up.

"Thanks Max," said Sketchy raising his nearly empty glass to her.

"Don't sweat it Sketch," she said, "Besides, there's something I got to do," she said, heading towards the bar, an evil glint in her eye as she looked in Alec's direction.

"Hey Max," said Alec.

"Oh, hey Alec," said Max, going over to them. "How you been?"

"Good thanks," said Alec. "Oh this is Bette," he said, introducing the two brunettes, as the exchanged "Hi's."

"Don't I know you from somewhere?" asked Max.

"Uh, sorry I don't think so," said Bette, shifting nervously on her stool.

"No seriously," said Max. "Oh are you from Alec's support group?"

"Support group?" asked Bette, confused.

"Max . . . " warned Alec, a dangerous tone in his voice.

"Yeah, you know," said Max, ignoring him. "For recently outed gay men, to help them with the transition."

"What!" exclaimed Bette.

"Max!" yelled Alec. "I thought we called a truce?"

Max laughed, "We did, I'm sorry, I just couldn't resist. I'm only messing with you," she explained to Bette. "Honestly, Alec here is one hundred percent heterosexual, well as far as we know," she added with a wink.

"Oh, funny," said Bette, with a false smile firmly plastered on her face. "Well we'd love to stay and chat but Alec and I were just about to dance, weren't we?" she said sweetly, gently tugging at Alec's sleeve and dragging him to the dance floor as an old Good Charlotte song started to play.

"Apparently," said Alec with a grin, looking back apologetically at Max.

"Well that's funny," said Max, following them, and knocking Bette out of the way. "I was just about to cut in."

When Alec showed no resistance, a put out Bette went back to the bar huffing

_If you want me to wait, I will wait for you._

_If you tell me to stay, I would stay right through._

_If you don't wanna say, anything at all,_

_I'm happy wondering._

"Why Maxie, anyone would think you were jealous," said Alec.

"Then anyone would be right," said Max, nervously looking up at Alec with a smile. "I mean just look at her! That short glossy hair, slim figure and hot ass!"

Alec laughed, "You've spent too much time with O.C."

"So it would seem," said Max, glancing over at O.C. who was watching them closely and with great interest.

_Since I was a young man, I never was a fun man,_

_Never had a plan and no security._

_Then ever since I met you, I never could forget you._

_I only wanna get you, right here next to me._

"So where's Logan?" asked Alec, feigning interest.

"Damed if I know," said Max. "We broke up," he said, when Alec raised an eyebrow.

"Why?" asked Alec confused. "I thought everything was ok between you guys, well that's the impression I got when you came round yesterday."

"Things haven't been ok between me and Logan for a while now," said Max. "We had no spark."

_Cause everybody, needs someone that they can trust and,_

_You're somebody, that I found just in time. _

_If you want me to wait, I will wait for you._

_If you tell me to stay, I would stay right through._

_If you don't wanna say, anything at all,_

_I'm happy wondering._

"I could have told you that," said Alec, with a small smile, looking down at Max.

"To be honest," said Max. "It was only when you came to my apartment that fateful night last week that I realised it. It was sort of a compare and contrast method," she admitted, looking down at her feet, unable to meet his gaze. "I'd never felt like that before."

"Me neither," admitted Alec.

"Yeah right," said Max.

"No, really," said Alec. "I know you don't think much of me Max. You just see me as some womanising screw up, but I do occassionally experience real feelings."

"I don't think of you like that," said Max. "I mean yeah, I used to but I know better know. Call it an informed change of opinion. It's just that the closest I've ever came to a real relationship was with Logan, I mean how twisted is that?"

"Pretty twisted," agreed Alec. "Though I can't judge, the closest I've came to a proper relationship was with Rachel, and look how that turned out."

_Now my life is changing, always rearranging,_

_It's always getting stranger than I thought it ever could._

_But ever since I found you, I wanna be around you,_

_I wanna get down to the point that I need you._

"Maybe we're just not meant to find true love," said Max, "Maybe Manticore made us incapable of having an adult relationship because it would only mess with our super soldier duties."

"Then why even bother?" asked Alec, curious.

"Cause Manticore was seriously screwed up," said Max. "I've spent my entire life rebelling against the rules that Manticore laid down as guidelines for me to rule my life by, so why should I stop now?"

"Cause nine times out of ten love just results in hurt and pain?" said Alec, who was just thinking out loud.

"You're right, trust me I know that better than anyone," said Max. "So what's the point of even trying then," she muttered, almost defeatedly, echoing Alec's earlier way of thinking.

Upon seeing the resigned look on her face, Alec immediately felt guilty. He hadn't meant to beat her optimisim out of her, it had only been a weak moment of fear on his behalf. "You try in the hope that maybe this time, you just might beat the odds," he said, trying to win her back. He'd felt he was getting somewhere with her, now would be a bad time to loose it.

_Cause everybody, needs someone that they can trust and,_

_You're somebody, that I found just in time. _

_If you want me to wait, I will wait for you._

_If you tell me to stay, I would stay right through._

_If you don't wanna say, anything at all,_

_I'm happy wondering._

"I can't say I haven't thought about it," said Max. "But I just don't know if I'm ready to put myself out there again fully." She let out a heavy sigh, her eyes showing signs of an inner struggle and debate with herself. "But then I look at you and I think we could have something great."

"I know what you mean," said Alec with a smile. "Sure we fight the bit out everytime we are near each other, but I still think that the theory that started this all off was correct."

"But what if that's all we have?" said Max, concerned. "Sexual tension. What if we sleep together and after that find that there's nothing else between us?"

_Don't tell me, the bad news,_

_Don't tell me anything at all,_

_Just tell me, that you need me,_

_And stay right here with me._

"Max, I'm scared of puttin myself out there again as well but we both have to learn just to put our trust in each other and give it a go. Look, if you need time that's fine," he said genuinely. "I don't want to rush you, I don't mind waiting for you to come around but I do think that you are right and that we could really have something here, but as the song says, I'm happy wondering for now, we can always be friends if that's what you want."

_If you want me to wait, I will wait for you._

_If you tell me to stay, I would stay right through._

_If you don't wanna say, anything at all,_

_I'm happy wondering._

Max broke out into a smile upon thinking about this. She got up on her tip toes and planted a kiss on an unsuspecting Alec. But this wasn't like its predecessors, this kiss was completely different. It was soft, tender, slow and gentle. "It's not. I don't want to wait about wondering anymore," Max whispered when they broke for breath. "

"I can live with that," said Alec with a grin.

"So do you wanna get outta here or what?"

"Oh hell yeah."

"Perfect," said Max as she headed out of Crash with Alec's arm draped over his shoulder as she snuggled into his chest and just smiled at O.C. and Sketchy who watched them with raised eyebrows.

"Hey!" said Sketchy. "She didn't get in a round!"

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"Well?" asked Alec the next morning.

"It's not just sexual tension," said Max. "Though we'd best be sure about that, hadn't we?" she added with a wicked grin.

"Oh yes," agreed Alec. "In fact I think we shouldn't leave this room until we've proved the hypothesis indefinitely."

"I never knew you were such a dedicated scientest, I've never been quite so thankful for Manticore's training."

"Me neither," murmered Alec, as he kissed Max softly. "Me neither."

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**THE END**

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A/N: I agonised over this chapter for so long but I realised that if I didn't post it now I'd only end up re-writting the entire thing again. As a result I'm not terribly happy with it, it's not very humorous and feels a little out of place with the rest of the story but it's how it's going to be.

Also I've never used a song in a fic before but I thought that 'Wondering,' by GC just fitted Max and Alec perfectly in this story, so tell me what you think!

Thanks to **a reader, ro, flephanie **(you really are everywhere lol)**, Honey X5-452, X5 459, kes, chance32, Aur, ann, seunooneus, Athena80 and 4eva Jensen**, for reviewing the last chapter! It was very much appreciated.


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